Journal: International Journal for Parasitology: Drugs and Drug Resistance

Article Title: Terpenic compounds possess anthelmintic and immunomodulatory properties with potential for controlling equine cyathostomin infections

doi: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2026.100642

Figure Lengend Snippet: Scatter plots of the association between TNF-α production and the IC 50 values (LDA and LMA) Scatter plots showing the association between TNF-α production percentage (expressed relative to the control) and the IC 50 values obtained in (left) the Larval Development Assay (LDA) and (right) the Larval Migration Assay (LMA) for six terpene compounds (anethole, cinnamaldehyde, menthol, carvacrol, eugenol and thymol). Each point represents the mean IC 50 and TNFα production for a given compound, and horizontal/vertical bars indicate the corresponding confidence intervals. Lower IC 50 values reflect higher antiparasitic potency.

Article Snippet: The cells were then incubated at +37 °C (5% CO 2 ) for 24 h. After incubation, the concentration of TNF-α in the medium for each condition was quantified by ELISA using mouse TNF-α paired antibodies (R and D Systems DY410).

Techniques: Control, Migration

Journal: International Journal for Parasitology: Drugs and Drug Resistance

Article Title: Terpenic compounds possess anthelmintic and immunomodulatory properties with potential for controlling equine cyathostomin infections

doi: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2026.100642

Figure Lengend Snippet: Anti-inflammatory activity of carvacrol and cinnamaldehyde on equine PBMC Boxplots showing TNF-α concentrations (ng/mL) measured in equine peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) exposed to DMSO (0.05%), LPS (125 ng/mL), the combination of DMSO and LPS, carvacrol (5 μg/mL), cinnamaldehyde (5 μg/mL), the combination of either compound with LPS, and the untreated condition (control). Points represent individual replicates from four independent assays. Asterisks indicate significant differences relative to the corresponding control condition (∗ P = 0.01, ∗∗ P < 0.001).

Article Snippet: The cells were then incubated at +37 °C (5% CO 2 ) for 24 h. After incubation, the concentration of TNF-α in the medium for each condition was quantified by ELISA using mouse TNF-α paired antibodies (R and D Systems DY410).

Techniques: Activity Assay, Control

Journal: Cell Reports Medicine

Article Title: LIFUS-driven engineered bacteria reprogram immunosuppressive niches via mechano-NOTCH signaling

doi: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2026.102658

Figure Lengend Snippet: Mechanical immunotherapy effect of LIFUS combined with VNP /ARG-GV for tumors (A) Schematic illustrating the five-cycle LIFUS + VNP /ARG-GVs treatment regimen over 21 days. (B and C) Repeated LIFUS activation of intratumoral VNP /ARG-GVs resulted in marked suppression of tumor growth compared with all control and monotherapy groups (∗∗∗∗ p < 0.0001; n = 6) (B). (D) Kaplan-Meier survival analysis demonstrating significantly prolonged survival in the combination group (median 47.5 days), with several mice surviving beyond 60 days. All control and monotherapy cohorts succumbed by days 30–40 (control and LIFUS alone: median 20 days, VNP /ARG: 27.5 days, VNP /ARG-GVs: 25 days, n = 10). (E and G) Flow cytometry analysis (E) showing differential immune remodeling across groups. The details of the flow cytometry gating strategy are shown in . LIFUS alone did not alter CD4 + /CD8 + infiltration. VNP /ARG monotherapy induced about 1.5-fold increase in CD8 + T cells. Combination treatment produced a pronounced expansion of cytotoxic CD8 + T cells (63.96% ± 4.90% vs. 14.31% ± 2.0% in control; ∗∗∗∗ p < 0.0001; n = 4) (G). (F and H) The combination group showed the strongest suppression of FOXP3 + Tregs (7.76% ± 1.60%), significantly lower than controls (28.38% ± 2.59%; ∗∗∗ p < 0.005; n = 4) (H). (I and J) ELISA quantification of effector cytokines. IFN-γ levels were highest in the combination group (37.4 ± 6.88 ng/mL), followed by LIFUS alone (12.1 ± 2.3 ng/mL) and control (5.6 ± 1.4 ng/mL) ( n = 4) (I). TNF-α expression followed a similar trend (1.37 ± 0.41 ng/mL vs. 0.42 ± 0.15 ng/mL and 0.18 ± 0.06 ng/mL) ( n = 4) (J). (K and L) Representative Ki67 and hematoxylin and eosin staining showing reduced proliferation and increased apoptosis across groups, with the strongest effects observed in the LIFUS + VNP /ARG-GVs cohort. Scale bars, 100 μm. Data are representative of three (B, D, I, and J) or two (G and H) independent experiments. Data are mean ± SD or chi-square (D). Statistical analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA (B and H–K), two-way ANOVA (G), or log rank test (D). See also .

Article Snippet: Anti-mouse TNF- α antibody , Proteintech , Cat# 17590-1-AP; RRID: AB_2271853.

Techniques: Activation Assay, Control, Flow Cytometry, Produced, Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay, Expressing, Staining

Journal: Cell Reports Medicine

Article Title: LIFUS-driven engineered bacteria reprogram immunosuppressive niches via mechano-NOTCH signaling

doi: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2026.102658

Figure Lengend Snippet: Mechanobiology-enhanced adoptive T cell therapy improves control of primary and metastatic tumors (A) Schematic representation of the B16-OVA orthotopic melanoma model and the OT-1-based treatment strategy. The GVs (1 × 10 6 particles/mL) were injected intratumorally every cycle with LIFUS or without LIFUS before OT-1 cells (1 × 10 6 cells) were adoptively transferred later. (B) Tumor growth curves over 15 days. OT-1 +LIFUS treatment resulted in the most pronounced tumor inhibition, exhibiting significantly smaller tumor volumes than both OT-1 −LIFUS and control groups (266.7 ± 127.2 mm 3 vs. control 1,800 ± 1.003 mm 3 , ∗∗∗∗ p < 0.0001, vs. OT-1 −LIFUS 796.7 ± 613.2 mm 3 ; ∗∗∗ p < 0.005; n = 3). (C and D) Tumor (C) and body weight (D) measurements. The OT-1 +LIFUS group exhibited a marked reduction in tumor weight (0.18 ± 0.04 g vs. 0.71 ± 0.04 g in controls; ∗∗∗∗ p < 0.0001; n = 5). In contrast, body weight in OT-1 +LIFUS group remained stable throughout the 15-day treatment period (16.55 ± 0.15 g on day 15 vs. 16.57 ± 0.11 g at baseline; p > 0.05; n = 3). (E) Flow cytometric quantification of exhausted OT-1 cells within tumors. The OT-1 +LIFUS group exhibited a 94.1% reduction in PD-1 + Tim-3 + -co-expressing OT-1 cells compared with controls (2.55% ± 1.27% vs. 43.0% ± 4.60%; ∗∗∗∗ p < 0.0001; n = 5). (F) Intracellular cytokine staining of TNF-α and IFN-γ. OT-1 +LIFUS significantly enhanced effector cytokine production relative to both comparison groups (∗∗∗∗ p < 0.0001; n = 5). (G) Proliferative activity of intratumoral OT-1 cells, assessed by Ki-67 expression. OT-1 +LIFUS showed the highest proportion of Ki-67 + OT-1 cells (63.20% ± 8.43%), indicating improved expansion and functional fitness (∗∗∗∗ p < 0.0001; n = 5). (H) Schematic of the 4T1-luciferase lung metastasis model and CAR-T-based treatment strategy. CAR-T cells were incubated with GVs (1 × 10 6 particles/mL, 1:1 ratio) for 10 min and exposed to LIFUS 60 s before i.v. injection. (I) Bioluminescence analysis of metastatic tumor burden. Photon flux in the CAR-T +LIFUS group was reduced the most relative to controls (mean (4.23 ± 2.09) × 10 7 ps −1 cm −2 sr −1 at the endpoint), consistent with substantially attenuated metastatic progression ( n = 5). (J) Representative longitudinal bioluminescence imaging. Detectable thoracic luciferase signal at day 0 confirmed successful establishment of lung metastases. Metastatic burden increased rapidly in controls beginning at day 5, whereas CAR-T +LIFUS exhibited minimal signal on days 10–15 and near-complete regression by day 25 ((1.6 ± 9.3) × 10 4 ps −1 cm −2 sr −1 vs. (5.3 ± 2.3) × 10 7 ps −1 cm −2 sr −1 in the control group, ∗∗∗∗ p < 0.0001). Tails were covered to prevent signal interference from freshly administered D-luciferin ( n = 5) (see D). (K) Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. CAR-T +LIFUS markedly prolonged survival (median 63.5 days) compared with CAR-T monotherapy (47.5 days; ∗∗ p < 0.01) and controls (35.5 days; ∗∗∗ p < 0.005) ( n = 6). Data are representative of two (B–G, I, and K) independent experiments. Data are mean ± SD (B–G), the mean value (I), or the Chi square (K). Statistical analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA (C and E–G), two-way ANOVA (B and D), or log rank test (K). Also see D–S5F.

Article Snippet: Anti-mouse TNF- α antibody , Proteintech , Cat# 17590-1-AP; RRID: AB_2271853.

Techniques: Control, Injection, Inhibition, Expressing, Staining, Comparison, Activity Assay, Functional Assay, Luciferase, Incubation, Imaging